Japan - Miyazawa family of 4 murdered, Setagaya, Tokyo, 30 Dec 2000 #3

[FacelessPodcast]

Rather than the skater angle, what about the nearby baseball field? Baseball is the quintessential American sport, plus a very popular sport in Japan. If the perp was American, possibly a highschooler, would there be access/use of the baseball field for anything he was doing or participating in? Could the perp have been a university student? How visible was the home from the baseball field?

I'm just randomly musing and am still catching up so I apologize in advance if this has already been discussed or discounted.

There is a baseball field very nearby, yes. I don't know if the TMPD specifically investigated those involved in the sport but I can tell you that the local schools and universities were all combed extensively. It's definitely possible the killer was a student -- that is the official view of the TMPD, after all. The fact that they descended on pretty much every local learning institution leads me to believe the killer wasn't involved with one of them.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

I’ve been looking at maps lately after the recent posts here and from what I understand the baseball ground at the back of the house is owned by Komazawa University so I am assuming it is a private ground for their use only. Next to the ground is a university dormitory so students were around this area very often I’d say.

Whereas the tennis court, skate park and other parks are city owned and available for public use.

Yes, exactly right. Though from my own anecdotal observation, it did seem like adults were going in there the last time I was in Soshigaya. So, I'm assuming it's rentable either outside of term / or after-hours.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

Could the university have hosted baseball games for high schoolers, maybe between American students on base vs. local students from Japan? Were university games open to the public? If so, could the perp have attended games as a spectator while also checking out the surrounding area? (But it seems less likely in winter, imo.)

Like I said, just trying to think of different angles or possibilities.

I can tell you that such competitions did take place, yes. As for whether or not the killer was a spectator, I have no clue. But I would say that a man sitting in a park, minding his own business, would likely cut a less suspicious figure than standing outside a house on a residential street. So, assuming the killer did observe the Miyazawas, he would've had ample opportunity without standing out so much. There are various unsubstantiated 'sightings' of dodgy men in the area either looking at the house / arguing with Mikio / encountering him in local businesses. The TMPD got nowhere with any of these, though.

 

[SteveL]

I have a wife and a boy and girl, almost identical in age to the Miyazawa children. There are other families, similar to the Miyazawas, that reside where the killer is now. While I don't believe the killer has killed since leaving Japan, I completely believe he's capable of doing so again. For public safety, he needs to be at least identified. Then, let TMPD act as they will.

TMPD is doing a huge disservice, not only to the Miyazawa family, but to unbeknownst families who are currently in the killers path. I don't know if the stereotype of Japanese shame truly exists. Regardless, there's going to be an extreme level of that when the public is made aware of this, which I suspect will be soon. As much as Nic respects the Chief, his failure to catch the killer, whilst a novelist and a group of armchair sleuths staying up late at night in their American basements do, will unfortunately be "Chiefs" lasting legacy.

In Faceless, Nic briefly touched on an incident where he thought the killer might be right outside his window. While he quickly brushed off the idea, it's not completely far fetched. He's also stated on this forum that while he doesn't think he'll come after him, he's ready if he does. These thoughts are actually quite rational.

A quick Google search prompts Faceless, this forum, and others showing things beginning to narrow down the killer. Surely he has to have looked at some. And as the case continues to build, I suspect so too does his tension. It's very logical to assume he'll act on it.

 

[Janitor101]

I have no idea what the procedure is for personnel to enter or exit any of these military bases. A logbook perhaps? Did the TMPD check these log books to see if anyone entered or exited these bases on the night in question? Maybe no one of a suspicious nature was identified out and about during the time of the murders, and this is why they so easily dismiss the theory.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

I have no idea what the procedure is for personnel to enter or exit any of these military bases. A logbook perhaps? Did the TMPD check these log books to see if anyone entered or exited these bases on the night in question? Maybe no one of a suspicious nature was identified out and about during the time of the murders, and this is why they so easily dismiss the theory.

People on those bases that I've spoken to have independently raised doubts as to how rigorous those records will be for familial egress, particularly when dealing with the son of a big cheese, for example. That's anecdotal. But, at any rate, we know that the TMPD did not investigate the airbase.

 

[FlowersInBloom]

I have a wife and a boy and girl, almost identical in age to the Miyazawa children. There are other families, similar to the Miyazawas, that reside where the killer is now. While I don't believe the killer has killed since leaving Japan, I completely believe he's capable of doing so again. For public safety, he needs to be at least identified. Then, let TMPD act as they will.

TMPD is doing a huge disservice, not only to the Miyazawa family, but to unbeknownst families who are currently in the killers path. I don't know if the stereotype of Japanese shame truly exists. Regardless, there's going to be an extreme level of that when the public is made aware of this, which I suspect will be soon. As much as Nic respects the Chief, his failure to catch the killer, whilst a novelist and a group of armchair sleuths staying up late at night in their American basements do, will unfortunately be "Chiefs" lasting legacy.

In Faceless, Nic briefly touched on an incident where he thought the killer might be right outside his window. While he quickly brushed off the idea, it's not completely far fetched. He's also stated on this forum that while he doesn't think he'll come after him, he's ready if he does. These thoughts are actually quite rational.

A quick Google search prompts Faceless, this forum, and others showing things beginning to narrow down the killer. Surely he has to have looked at some. And as the case continues to build, I suspect so too does his tension. It's very logical to assume he'll act on it.

If he is alive, whether he is Japanese or American or anything else… I have no doubt in my mind he knows people are onto him. If he is American or English speaking I would say he may have even seen us here. Certainly he has seen Wikipedia, maybe even the Faceless podcasts. If he is Japanese then the outfit he murdered them in is displayed on televisions ever year and on posters around the country.
It is very unsettling to think about.